Johann Zarco soon to return to endurance?

Johann Zarco's summer was different from that of the other riders. In the middle of the summer, the Frenchman stopped off in Japan to compete in a World Endurance Championship event with Honda. A fruitful weekend of competition for the Frenchman, who gave HRC a historic thirtieth victory.

During the remainder of the season MotoGP, the Cannes native has consistently stated that this triumph has strengthened his ties with the brand he joined at the beginning of the year. He might therefore want to repeat the experience.

Asked about this last week, during Honda's celebration weekend in Tokyo, Johann Zarco even suggested that he was already in contact with the relevant people within HRC.

"I'm glad to be here in Japan. I'm only here for two days, but it's good, confides the Tricolore during the Honda Season Finale, the festival organized by the brand to pay tribute to its 2024 season. I really enjoyed the Suzuka 8 Hours. I did a test before the race [in June. Ed.], to discover the track. It was incredible.

However, I felt much more comfortable during race week, he continues. I enjoyed teaming up with Takumi [Takahashi] and Teppei [Nagoe]. We didn't talk much, but you shouldn't talk much because you feel the same way, and you share a common goal. In the end, it was my only win of the year. It was a great experience, really. We see that we can do it next year, and we try to organize it, because it's a great place to race."

The challenge appeals to him all the more as the competition will be tough this summer. "We saw in 2024 that there are new opponents who are coming very strong. The Yamahas are always very strong. But there are also the Ducatis, who can be very fast, adds Johann Zarco. So in 2025, we need the best trio of drivers."

©HRC

Complications for Zarco?

Johann Zarco, however, says he is confident and believes he has the necessary qualities to defend his title against all the brands mentioned above.

"We have been very consistent this season, with Takumi and Teppei. In 2025, we have to find something more to be better and get back to winning. On a technical level, the design of Honda's bike gives us an advantage, and we have to exploit it to get the win in 2025."

The final word will therefore go to Honda, and it seems that a constraint could arise in the face of Zarco's candidacy. In 2025, other motorcycle world championships allow their riders to free themselves during the month of July.

« As Iker Lecuona [World Superbike rider. Ed.] says, with the MotoGP calendar, we have the possibility to do it. So it would be cool. We have to find time to organize a test before. But this season, Honda will have more choice, because the Superbike riders are available too."

One thing is certain, the Frenchman likes the format of endurance races. He could therefore see himself competing in races even longer than the Suzuka 8 Hours.

“It was important in these difficult times in MotoGP, to know glory in Endurance. I had 8 hours to discover all this, but maybe later, in France, I will have the pleasure of riding for 24 hours.

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